Pic courtesy RDVIC We shared an incredible evening of poetry during Tuesday's Speak Up (!) Diversity Poetry Reading on the West Virginia University campus.
I was thrilled to see the Gold Ballroom completely full of folks excited to share the spoken word. I'd guess between 100-150 attended.
Enjoyed kicking off the event sharing the group poem with Melissa Chesanko, Jessica Woods and the other co-writers/volunteers. (See the University Relations video here.)
Following the group poem, we had about 20 poets doing two rounds of poetry. The range of ideas, thoughts, emotions and more was absolutely incredible. I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to hear so many amazing voices in one evening. Enjoyed seeing my fellow Morgantown area community poets Rayna Momen, Joan Beard and many other friends. Thanks to all who braved the podium to share your work. I hope to see/hear you all again soon.
Be sure to check out the excellent article by Mitchell Glazier (photos by Corey Dobson) in the Daily Athenaeum, "Poetry Event Features Student Work."
To all the poets who shared your work at the Diversity Reading, I want to let you know RDVIC is hosting their annual spoken word event, Loud Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence, Oct. 30. Hope you'll consider joining us to share some more poetry to build awareness.
Here is the event information from RDVIC's flier:
I was thrilled to see the Gold Ballroom completely full of folks excited to share the spoken word. I'd guess between 100-150 attended.
Enjoyed kicking off the event sharing the group poem with Melissa Chesanko, Jessica Woods and the other co-writers/volunteers. (See the University Relations video here.)
Following the group poem, we had about 20 poets doing two rounds of poetry. The range of ideas, thoughts, emotions and more was absolutely incredible. I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to hear so many amazing voices in one evening. Enjoyed seeing my fellow Morgantown area community poets Rayna Momen, Joan Beard and many other friends. Thanks to all who braved the podium to share your work. I hope to see/hear you all again soon.
Be sure to check out the excellent article by Mitchell Glazier (photos by Corey Dobson) in the Daily Athenaeum, "Poetry Event Features Student Work."
To all the poets who shared your work at the Diversity Reading, I want to let you know RDVIC is hosting their annual spoken word event, Loud Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence, Oct. 30. Hope you'll consider joining us to share some more poetry to build awareness.
Here is the event information from RDVIC's flier:
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Loud Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence
An Evening of Sharing One's Feelings about Love, Abandonment, Rape and Domestic Violence with Selections from Local Poets, Musicians and Spoken Word Artists
Wednesday, October 30th at 6:30 p.m.
Terra Cafe ~ 425 Industrial Avenue (near the rail trail in Star City)
We will be drawing some great prizes selected from those who like and share our event on Facebook,
https://www.facebook.com/events/182092715311788/
"Loud Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence" is being held again this year in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Come hear a selections from local poets, musicians, and spoken word artists speaking about love, abandonment, rape and domestic violence. This is an event in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It provides survivors of domestic violence and loved ones with a venue to share their stories through various forms of written and spoken art forms.
Want to Get Involved? Looking for people who are interested in participating. If you would like to be a part of this night to remember contact: Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center via email at preventviolence.rdvic@gmail.com or call (304) 292-5100
I've participated in Loud Voices for a couple of years now, and highly recommend this event to everyone affected by these issues. Loud Voices is a wonderful opportunity to share your voice in a relaxed, supportive environment. It's a fun time for everyone to get together, to support RDVIC, a local nonprofit, doing excellent work in the community.
RDVIC's mission is "to provide a community-based, comprehensive service that advocates for the equal rights of all individuals to have control of their lives without violence or the threat of violence." Be sure to "like" RDVIC's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/rdvic.org.
In addition to Loud Voices, RDVIC is hosting a bowling event for secondary school students called Strike Out Bullying, in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month.
Strike Out Bullying will be from 6-8 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 26 at Sycamore Lanes, 755 Fairmont Road (Westover, West Virginia), Prizes presented will be awarded for the Anti-Bullying Coloring and Essay Contests. Here is the Facebook event page for Strike Out Bullying, posted by the Bully Free Task Force, https://www.facebook.com/events/305826372892700/?previousaction=join&source=1.
I'll be at Strike Out Bullying to speak very briefly. If you're there, be sure to say hello. I support RDVIC's efforts any way I can, and was glad to march side-by-side with RDVIC supporters recently in the downtown Morgantown Homecoming Parade.
(Note: Thanks Miss Southern West Virginia 2014 and Mountaineer Idol participant/singer Paige Madden for letting me know during the parade about the upcoming "Silence Hides Violence" Charity 5-Mile Bike Ride at 2 p.m. this Sunday at Hazel Ruby McQuain park in Morgantown. Go to the bike ride Facebook event page to join and register: https://www.facebook.com/events/549103495159945/?source=1 "Silence Hides Violence" is a WVU student organization dedicated to the awareness of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and rape. For more info, go here, http://silence-hides-violence.tumblr.com.)
Understanding, dealing with and preventing bullying and violence is one of the main themes of my writing. It features prominently in my book, "The STARLING Connection."
In STARLING, four teenagers, Simon Laramie, 15, Jaya Ceyes, 18, Flower Wildwind, 17, and Peter Arnold, 18, are fighting for their human rights, including the right to be free from bullying/violence.
My teen characters are not "superheroes." They're human beings just like you and me, people who you may be able to relate to. They're folks who band together, using their minds, their love, their friendship, their deepest hope, not fantastic "superpowers," to create change in the world.
The main idea of the book is that no one anywhere at any time can truly afford to "look the other way" or to ignore violence that is happening to oneself or to others.
All the characters, plot, etc., in STARLING are completely fictional; although the book is inspired by events that happened with me and my friends when we were in high school. I wrote the books to better understand the nature of bullying/violence. My greatest hope is STARLING will serve as a lighthouse of hope and as a thought-provoking guidepost for all of us, particularly young people (something I wished I'd had as a teen).
Below is a brief excerpt expressing these ideas, which are what my STARLING books are all about. (Note: This excerpt represents my ideas as an individual/author, my personal perspective/views only, not those of anyone else or any organization. I often share excerpts from my books on this blog, which is my author website, as a way to show folks what my work is about, why I care about the issues I'm involved with.)
RDVIC's mission is "to provide a community-based, comprehensive service that advocates for the equal rights of all individuals to have control of their lives without violence or the threat of violence." Be sure to "like" RDVIC's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/rdvic.org.
In addition to Loud Voices, RDVIC is hosting a bowling event for secondary school students called Strike Out Bullying, in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month.
Strike Out Bullying will be from 6-8 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 26 at Sycamore Lanes, 755 Fairmont Road (Westover, West Virginia), Prizes presented will be awarded for the Anti-Bullying Coloring and Essay Contests. Here is the Facebook event page for Strike Out Bullying, posted by the Bully Free Task Force, https://www.facebook.com/events/305826372892700/?previousaction=join&source=1.
I'll be at Strike Out Bullying to speak very briefly. If you're there, be sure to say hello. I support RDVIC's efforts any way I can, and was glad to march side-by-side with RDVIC supporters recently in the downtown Morgantown Homecoming Parade.
(Note: Thanks Miss Southern West Virginia 2014 and Mountaineer Idol participant/singer Paige Madden for letting me know during the parade about the upcoming "Silence Hides Violence" Charity 5-Mile Bike Ride at 2 p.m. this Sunday at Hazel Ruby McQuain park in Morgantown. Go to the bike ride Facebook event page to join and register: https://www.facebook.com/events/549103495159945/?source=1 "Silence Hides Violence" is a WVU student organization dedicated to the awareness of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and rape. For more info, go here, http://silence-hides-violence.tumblr.com.)
Understanding, dealing with and preventing bullying and violence is one of the main themes of my writing. It features prominently in my book, "The STARLING Connection."
In STARLING, four teenagers, Simon Laramie, 15, Jaya Ceyes, 18, Flower Wildwind, 17, and Peter Arnold, 18, are fighting for their human rights, including the right to be free from bullying/violence.
My teen characters are not "superheroes." They're human beings just like you and me, people who you may be able to relate to. They're folks who band together, using their minds, their love, their friendship, their deepest hope, not fantastic "superpowers," to create change in the world.
The main idea of the book is that no one anywhere at any time can truly afford to "look the other way" or to ignore violence that is happening to oneself or to others.
All the characters, plot, etc., in STARLING are completely fictional; although the book is inspired by events that happened with me and my friends when we were in high school. I wrote the books to better understand the nature of bullying/violence. My greatest hope is STARLING will serve as a lighthouse of hope and as a thought-provoking guidepost for all of us, particularly young people (something I wished I'd had as a teen).
Below is a brief excerpt expressing these ideas, which are what my STARLING books are all about. (Note: This excerpt represents my ideas as an individual/author, my personal perspective/views only, not those of anyone else or any organization. I often share excerpts from my books on this blog, which is my author website, as a way to show folks what my work is about, why I care about the issues I'm involved with.)
A tear runs down Flower’s face.
“Come on Pete, you can’t like leave us now, you know. We’re your friends.”
“This is a free country. I can do whatever I want,” Pete says.
“That’s not freedom,” Jaya tells Pete.
“You aren’t ‘free’ if you choose to ignore your neighbors as they’re being bullied and beaten. If you choose to close your eyes while the last drops of blood are being drained from your neighbors, then don’t be surprised when there’s nothing left for anyone.”
“Don’t be surprised when the same gangsters show up at your door to beat and kill you too and take everything you have.”
Pete laughs.
“Come on, don’t you think that’s a little extreme? I’ve never met anybody who’s so serious.”
Jaya looks our friend in the eye.
“Pete, it’s not for us to pick and choose who deserves our love and who doesn’t. We’re just one piece of a puzzle that goes on forever. God gives us our friends, family and neighbors as gifts, Pete. We’re supposed to love everybody, learn something from and share something with everyone we meet. We’re supposed to see ourselves in everybody. What happens to one person happens to all of us.”
If you want to know more about "The STARLING Connection," follow this link, http://www.amazon.com/The-STARLING-Connection-Volume-Quadrilogy-ebook/dp/B009AN3EU6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382630447&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=theodore+webb+the+starling+connection
If you'd like me to speak at your event, get in touch with me via email or Facebook.
If you'd like me to speak at your event, get in touch with me via email or Facebook.
For more information about Strike Out Bullying and/or any of RDVIC's programs, call 304-292-5100 or go to http://rdvic.org.
Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, etc. And share the events flier with your friends.
Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, etc. And share the events flier with your friends.
Theodore Webb is a poet, novelist, short story author and playwright. Webb is the author of the dystopian fiction novels, "Lifeline,” “Crucible,” “Colossus” and “Inferno,” the first four books in “The STARLING Series,"available for ALL DEVICES, smartphone, Kindle, PC, MAC, via Amazon.com. (Note: All four books are available as one volume, titled, "The STARLING Connection.") His short stories are also available online, including "Desperate Engine" on Amazon and "Family Hour" available in ALL digital formats on Smashwords.com. For paper copies of Webb's books, contact the author directly via email: twebb4502@gmail.com.
